Come Support the Malcolm X Community Market!!!
On Saturday while I was at the market, we got word that Migliorelli Farms, the sole farmer’s vendor at the market at this time, will not be back after this coming Saturday, as the sales at the market have not been enough to cover their expenses (labor and gas) in coming out to the market. While the number of people visiting and purchasing at the market has been increasing (we do customer counts), it has not yet been sufficient. The market has only been open three weeks this season so this is definitely not good for momentum.
While the Brooklyn Rescue Mission will not be deterred and there will always be a market on Saturday, this is definitely a setback, as it took many calls and emails on their behalf to get a farm such as Migliorelli to sell at the market and will take even more effort to find a replacement vendor. The BRM is only interested in bringing quality food to the neighborhood so to have a farm like Migliorelli, that also sells in Union Square, was definitely a big step towards having more food equity in the area. Unfortunately, there just hasn’t been enough of a presence by local residents. Bedford Stuyvesant is a large neighborhood and despite the ads in the local papers, blog postings, emails, the several thousand flyers distributed throughout the area, there are definitely still some people we haven’t yet reached, but there are also a lot of people who do know about the market and have chosen to not visit it, for whatever reason. This is unfortunate as those who have visited have been very pleased with the selection, quality, and price of the produce. We’ve also added a fresh bread vendor and the Brooklyn Rescue Mission is still working on bringing more vendors on, such as a honey vendor.
This isn’t to shame Migliorelli as it is understandable that they need to meet their margin and cannot operate at a loss. This is more of a “community call”, as it seems we are proving the case many have been saying about Bed Stuy: that we cannot maintan and sustain a farmer’s market in this community. I don’t believe this, the Brooklyn Rescue Mission doesn’t believe this, and they are working hard to prove these people wrong. You can help by coming out this Saturday, August 1st and visiting the market and doing your produce shopping for the week at the market. I also ask that you keep coming as often as you can after this Saturday but I truly believe that after you come on Saturday and see what the market has to offer, you’ll come regularly on your own because it truly is growing into something the community can be proud to support. I know we all have our likes and dislikes about the community and access to quality food is definitely one of them. It isn’t enough knowing that there’s a market in the area-we have to support it as well to make it sustainable!
Malcolm X Community Farmer’s Market
Malcolm X Blvd between Marion and Chauncey Streets-in front of Jackie Robinson Park
8am-1pm (Migliorelli often stays past 1pm)
A/C train to Utica Avenue (the market is right around the corner!)
B46 or B25Â to Malcolm X and Fulton (market is right across the street!)
If you want to “see” what the market has to offer, check some of the photos taken by some bloggers who have come by the market:
Off to Market [Digital Tammi]
A Farmers Market Grows in Bed-Stuy [Ultraclay]
Saturday is Farmer’s Market Day [Bed-Stuy Blog]
Please tell everyone you know! If they live in or near Bed Stuy or love local produce or is just down to support something that helps build community-tell them to come out this Saturday. I hope to see you there. If you cannot make it out on Saturday, you can help us this week by picking up some flyers at the Brooklyn Rescue Mission to distribute-contact me for more information. I have to plug yet again that there are other volunteer opportunities relating to the market so you can contact me about that as well.
Contact Tara via email td5_10@yahoo.com or twitter @teefiveten
27 July 2009, 7:25 pm
Could the lack of sales be due to the fact that their are 3 markets in Bed-Stuy on Saturday? I have been to the market at Malcolm X Blvd but the market on Lewis Ave is closer to my house. Now we have the market from the Hattie McCarthan Garden on Saturday as well. Maybe if some of the markets join together instead of trying to compete, they would be more of a success.
27 July 2009, 7:40 pm
I felt that the prices were too high. I bought some corn which was OK.
28 July 2009, 1:25 pm
It’s really too bad that Migliorelli pulled out so quickly. It takes time for momentum to build in any start-up business or venture. If they had stayed, I’m sure their business would have improved. How about getting some smaller farms that need to increase their exposure, rather than a large one that expects a certain amount of sales?
28 July 2009, 1:42 pm
Mollie,
From what I’ve seen, getting anyone to come out has been difficult. Most farms large and small are concerned about their margin. Arguably smaller farms are even more concerned. At lease Migliorelli has economies of scale on their side since they operate in many markets across the city. And to be perfectly blunt: some farms straight up don’t want to come to Bed Stuy because they don’t think they’ll make money and they think its too dangerous.
The point of this post is that it isn’t too late and we can keep Migliorelli there if we can encourage more people to come out. Even as we were being told they would be pulling out this coming week we had a large surge of customers that came through so they may be swayed to stay if we can bring numbers up, which we have been doing, but slowly.
We need to get numbers up either way whether Migliorelli stays or not because the next farm may be singing the same tune.
Darell,
Hattie Carthan is pretty far from the Malcolm X Market so I don’t find it to be competition since they serve a whole other side of this very large neighborhood. As far as the Lewis Ave Youth Market, we’re working on coordinating our efforts.
Dave,
I’m sorry you felt the prices were too high. Migliorelli actually cut some of their prices for our market and some items are more costly at their Union Square outpost. I know in comparision to a supermarket who can afford to buy more volume for a lower unit cost the farmer’s market prices are high but the product at the Malcolm X Market is also fresher which means they last longer in the fridge. If I buy greens or herbs at Fine Fare, they have to get used up in a few days because they’ll go bad. I bought beets at the Malcolm X Market and didn’t cook them until more than a week later and they were fine. I know for me, its worth spending that extra 50 cents or a dollar. Compared to what I’ve seen at Union Square and Ft Greene and Prospect Park, Migliorelli’s prices are pretty competitive. Part oof what makes farmer’s markets to great is that you can interface with the farmer so you can tell MMigliorelli if you think their prices are too high. Try doing that at Foodtown
28 July 2009, 2:20 pm
I was thinking about this. It is really hard to change people’s food-buying habits and eating patterns (think about any time you’ve tried to change your own …) so I hope that Migliorelli can give it a bit more time. I know that at first (3 years ago) the Youthmarket wasn’t getting many buyers and now they often have a good crowd. Maybe BRC can get a grant to ensure the farmers can receive a minimum while trying to build numbers through other means.
I liked the variety that Migliorelli offers, but Hattie Carthan & Youthmarket are closer to my house, so it depends on how much time and energy I have … I wonder how the Weds Bed-Wick (Bush-Stuy?) Linden St market is doing?
28 July 2009, 4:57 pm
Seconding the fist comment–it’s counterproductive to have three small farmer’s markets on Saturday and nothing the rest of the week. Don’t these folks talk to one another?
28 July 2009, 5:03 pm
location. location. location. and variety of offerings.
28 July 2009, 8:54 pm
How is it counterproductive to have three markets on a Saturday when Bed-Stuy is as big as it is? If the bodegas can stay open on every corner, we can have three markets on Saturday. (Four, if you count Weeksville)
If I weren’t a member of the Bed-Stuy Farm Share, I’d never go over to Hattie Carthan because it’s too far from my house.
Weekday markets in this neighborhood are difficult, as the people who would most likely support the farmer’s market are working and won’t make it back in time.
Last year, Malcolm X Community Market was hosted on Friday, and the low turnout and response about the day proved it.
Farmers can’t stick around late, as they often have a 2+hour commute and farm responsibilities.
All of the markets need increased visibility.
Wednesday’s Bushwick Market has a good selection, but more foot traffic would help. I bought a nice loaf of Brooklyn-made sourdough, Red Jacket juice, and Trinity Farm peaches.
It’s nice to have options in this neighborhood.
28 July 2009, 11:00 pm
It’s all about Location.
It should be consolidated with the thing at Lewis/Decatur just 2 blocks away.
Big colorful signs at Fulton Park pointing the way should help.
That’s a pleasant little block with Peaches, Bread Stuy and the book store across the street.
29 July 2009, 9:01 am
I was aware of the market when it was on Fridays. I believe the hours were more of a factor then the day of the week. I wanted to check it out but worked until 5pm and by the time I reached Bed-Stuy it was already 6pm. Perhaps a later starting and ending hour could have made the difference.
Eventually various markets will be able to successfully co-exist in Bed-Stuy but it will take time. Having the Malcolm X Market and the Youth Market a few blocks away makes people choose between one or the other. Until the markets are strong enough they need to consolidate.
I used to live near Prospect Park and attended the farmers market at Grand Army Plaza every weekend. Having so many choices of fruits, vegetables and more in one place will encourage people to spend more. This would also encourage more farmers to come to this area.
I love farmers markets and I am glad that more are starting in Bed-Stuy, but I would hate to see them all die in their infancy because one is taking business from the other.
29 July 2009, 3:41 pm
Again, the nature of farmer’s markets do not allow for later closings.
Bed-Stuy has over 100,000 residents. The number of Chinese food, national fast food chains, and chicken/pizza/burger take-out joints, nail salons, barber shops and hair salons are proof that businesses in this neighborhood do not have to worry about losing business from their counterparts.
If 200 people at minimum all went to one market each week, the markets would thrive.
The Youth Market is an entity until itself and because of its structure, it may not be possible to consolidate.
If you talk to Greenmarket, the program of CENYC that runs the Youth Market farm stands, they will tell you that Bed-Stuy did not support their first attempt at having a Bed-Stuy Greenmarket, but found success with the Youth Market model.
The Hattie Carthan Community Market is a collaborative effort between Community Gardeners in the neighborhood and a couple of farms from Upstate NY.
The Malcolm X Community Farmer’s Market is an extension of Bed-Stuy Farm and Brooklyn Rescue Mission. It is only natural that they expand to serve more of the community while increasing awareness of their programs.
These markets are necessary because they offer a variety of possibilities for direct action food sovereignty in Bed-Stuy
What these markets need to thrive are better outreach efforts and a community education component that brings awareness to community food security and sustainable food issues.
Fresh produce is not “fresh” when it has been harvested before ripening, gassed to speed up that ripening process the sun is perfectly capable of doing, to then be shipped thousands of miles to supermarkets that don’t pay their employee fair wages and overcharge their customers.
Supporting farmer’s markets helps to support NY’s economy.
There is so much more to this issue than most realize.